Now, for the most exciting part! What we really came to Singapore for, Gardens by the bay: Cloud Forest! And for your reference, some light foreshadowing, there are no drinks, even water (or food) allowed in the Cloud Forest…
To start, we met up with Yu & Valerie, Jesse’s friends and our gracious guides for the day. Yu & Vareire have visited the Cloud Forest many times; and as we pass through the gates, it’s easy to see why!
Upon entry, you are greeted with the most majestic water feature, kind of like a waterfall, but maybe let’s just say it’s in a league of its own. The mist from the water and the scent of plants festooned upon the dome from which the water spurts combines into a refreshing rainforest perfume. As we feel our bodies cool, we laugh to ourselves that this respite from the heat outside is worth half the admission price.
Beyond the welcoming mist, the wonders continue. There must be over a million plants all lovingly placed and meticulously cared for in here. We saw hundreds of artworks, some large, commanding and unmissable, others tiny like a secret: hidden but for only the most observant of treasure hunters.
Round and round the spiral path we went. I took a photo of just about every flower I could see… Jesse & Yu both, well researched in botany, were a little more discerning, looking for specific plants which they did find. There is something here for everyone it seems.
As we reached the end of our journey through the Cloud Forest I almost never wanted it to end, but I’d started to develop a bit of a headache. I was happy to have a small window of opportunity to drink some water as we moved from Cloud Forest to the Flower Dome, another glass encased garden display.
The Flower Dome was lovely, showcasing, succulents, cactuses, a Christmas train and more, however when compared to Cloud Forest… well that’s a tough one to beat. Usually a lazy meander through any garden would appeal to me, however the headache was building and I was keen to eat some food!
Yu & Valerie were on the case, having organised a local treat for us. A chicken dish with an egg based sauce. Absolutely delicious! Alas by the time we’d made it to the restaurant the headache had progressed… into something strange…
That morning, as I knew we’d be taking lots of photos, I’d put some thought into my appearance, I’d chosen a cute and modest long sleeved shirt, I’d also styled my curls to hang down. Now, all my thoughts had converged on one single point: “I’m on fire”! All notions of propriety or “being photo ready” were incinerated. I stripped down into my singlet and tied my hair into a bun to get it off my neck. Even the strap of my bag felt unbareable. “Go to the bathroom and run some water over yourself” Jesse who’d been watching my antics urged, now clearly concerned. And so I did. Oh my gosh, it was wonderful, complete handfuls of cold water dumped straight on top of my head, down my legs and arms.
After spending a few minutes repeating this cold shower, I returned, to find some ice cubes which became my newest favourite thing and we decided to call it a day.
Heat is no joke! I wish my body was a little more resilient but all in all I still had a fantastic day. With so much going on, a restful evening was just what I needed.
8 Responses
Amazing 🤩
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Fabulous photos. So sorry you got heatstroke. Maybe snowie Switzerland is better suited for you. Love Your Blog
hahaha maybe I am just too used to Melbourne’s mild weather! Time to acclimatize!
Oh my goodness Beth the photos look amazing.. what an incredible place.. so sorry you ended up unwell..
Thank you Cath! ❤️ All part of travel adventures
So cool to see you guys doing something your passionate a out
Aww everyone’s support is so wonderful ❤️❤️ Thanks Naomi